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Delhi: As Anil Kumble walks off into the sunset, Indian cricket enters a new era where Mahendra Singh Dhoni's brand of captaincy will extend to the longer version of the game too.
Dhoni, already in charge of the Indian ODI and Twenty20 teams, has been waiting in the wings for a while and Kumble's retirement has led to his anointment as the Test captain as well.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has already impressed with his leadership qualities, famously leading the team to an ODI tri-series triumph in Australia and the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
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The Jharkhand player rose to glory in quick time and in the last few months has earned the reputation of being a leader with a cool head on his shoulders.
More than anything, he has been credited with infusing a never-say-die spirit in the team and he seems blessed with the Midas touch that can help India topple Australia from the ICC charts in both Test and ODIs.
Dhoni has had a meteoric rise and his scintillating knock of 148 against arch-rivals Pakistan at Vishakapatnam in 2005 was the first indicator of what he was bringing to Indian cricket.
Sixth months later, Dhoni took on the Sri Lankans, with a dazzling unbeaten 183 to surpass idol Adam Gilchrist's record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper in ODIs.
He was made deputy to Rahul Dravid for the England and Ireland Tour in 2007 and subsequently given the reins of the Twenty20 team for the World Championship in South Africa.
Under his leadership, India annexed the title, and his skills as a leader made him an automatic choice to lead the ODI side too. The flamboyant Dhoni responded with India's first tri-series win in Australia.
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With Anil Kumble struggling with injury and a slump in form, respected experts like Australia’s Ian Chappell made it clear that they were in favour of a change of guard and Kumble's retirement only expedited what was pretty much on the cards.
Dhoni will now lead the team in the fourth and final Test in Nagpur, and even if India manages a draw there, he will have the honour of lifting the Border-Gavaskar trophy there.
Since making his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Chennai in 2005, the 27-year-old Dhoni, 'Mahi' to his friends, has so far scored 1614 runs in 32 Tests with the help of a century and 11 half-centuries.
Dhoni, who made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2004, has an even more impressive record in the 50-over game.
There the swashbuckling batsman tallies 3793 runs from 120 matches, which includes four centuries and 24 fifties, besides boasting of an amazing strike rate of 91.30.
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